thepioneerwoman
King Cake
Celebrate Mardi Gras with this traditional king cake! Filled with cinnamon sugar, this classic dessert recipe makes two cakes, so you can share with a friend.
👥 20 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 3h 40m⏳ Prep: 40 min👤 Josh Miller📖 thepioneerwoman
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●bowl
- ●baking sheet
- ●oven
- ●whisk
📝 Preparation Steps
1
For the dough: In a medium bowl, stir together the yeast, water, and 2 teaspoons of the sugar. Let the mixture stand until foamy, about ⏱️ 5 minutes.
2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the yeast mixture, milk, butter, eggs, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup of the sugar. Beat on medium-low speed until combined, ⏱️ 30 seconds. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour, beating until completely combined, about ⏱️ 4 minutes. Increase the mixer to medium speed and beat until a smooth and elastic dough forms, about ⏱️ 6 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large bowl lightly greased with nonstick cooking spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, ⏱️ 45 minutes to ⏱️ 1 hour.
large eggs, beaten3Nonstick cooking spray
3
Punch the dough in the bowl to deflate. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time (keep the remaining piece covered with a dish towel), roll the dough into a 20-by-12-inch rectangle. Brush half of the melted butter for the filling (1/3 cup) over the dough rectangle leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle half of the granulated sugar (1/2 cup) and half of the cinnamon (1 1/2 tablespoons) over the butter.
4
Starting with a long side, use both hands to roll the rectangle into a log, being careful to keep the roll tight. When you reach the end, brush the edge lightly with water and pinch the seam tightly together. Flip the roll so that the seam is face down. Bring the ends together to form a 10-inch ring. Brush one end lightly with water and pinch to seal. Place the ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining dough, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Let the dough rings rest in a warm place until doubled in volume, 30 to ⏱️ 45 minutes.
5
Preheat the oven to 350°F with oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Uncover the dough rings. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 22 to ⏱️ 28 minutes. Transfer the baking sheets with cakes to wire racks to cool completely, about 1 1/⏱️ 2 hours.
6
Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla until smooth. (Add additional milk by the teaspoon, until the glaze is just pourable.) Pour the glaze evenly over the cakes. Immediately sprinkle with alternating bands of purple, green, and gold sparkling sugars.
Purple, green, and gold sparkling sugars
Nutrition Facts
calories
456 Calories
fat Content
14 g
fiber Content
2 g
sugar Content
41 g
sodium Content
278 mg
protein Content
8 g
trans Fat Content
0 g
cholesterol Content
57 mg
carbohydrate Content
74 g
saturated Fat Content
7 g
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